Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-11-24

didate, was there spending the heated term
with his family. Newspaper correspondents
by the score, wire-pullers, demagogues,
stump speakers, office-seellers, together
with thousands of society people and tour
lists, literally poured into the town and filled
every available hotel, cottage and boarding
house. So-called breakfasts dinners, teas,
luncheons, picnics, balls, parties, receptions,
tennis and athletic tournaments, and what
not, were the order of the day and occupied
each moment, from morn till night.
Every body lived in tremendous rush of
excitement and, although few persons re-
tired before the morning hours, no one
seemed to grow weary of this continuous
whirl of gayety.
Hundreds Of beautiful women set the
place by the ears, and scores of bellies were
always surrounded by crowds of admirers
Thus, when September arrived and the
giddy throng departed, the universal YER
dict was:
1.-THE gayest season on recordP'
Those who remained paused in their head
long career, drew breath and pulled them
selves together to enjoy few weeks of the
autumn's calm and gather strength for
winters dissipation.
Just as quiet was beginning to reign,
popuhar excitement was again aroused and
popular curiosity ran wild over the sudden
and mysterious appearance of young girl
whose beauty was Of the most brilliant type,
Infinitely SURPRISING that of even the love-
Jest belle of tn. summer.
''Who is she and whencc!'' was the ques-
zion asked on every side.
Not q soul knew, for not soul had seon
her arrive, or even could tell where she
was staying. She always appeared on
horseback, accompanied by q groom, and
dashed down tho roads, utterly oblivious of
the open glances and loudly-uttered words
Of admiration that aSSailed her On every
side
Like a meteor she broke upon tho sight,
and, like u meteor, disappeared from view.
Nor WAS the public enabled to learn any
more about her, when it found that she was
1t ''Eld-FicldS," Mr. Porter'S handsome
sountry-seat which had been closed for the
two previous years, during the owners alb
senco abroad. She absolutely refused to
receive callers and spoke to no one.
The servants around the place either
knew nothing whatever with regard to
her, or else refused to divulge what they
did know. They were unable to tell how
she came to Eld-Field' Sail we know is
when we walked up one morning, there she
was, horse and all, just as If she'd been here
all her life!n They knew not when, or
where she was going; her name even (for
they called her ''Madanoisclle'D nor, in
fact, any thing at all about her.
Mr.. Bee, whose establishment was head
quarters for all sorts of articles and infor-
nation, declared that she was the largest
and best-paying customer he ever had,
which was saying great deal. Mr.. Moses,
the florist, had no reason for closing his
conservatory rs long rs she remained at
Bar HarbOr. The most costly and elegant
flowers were sent down to Eld-Fields at
least twice day. From all sides came
such expressions as the following:
''Shc is very rich. Who is sho!''
The invariablc answer was: Il don I know
She's myStcryn
Forthwith she was dubbed The Mystery of
Bar bdr60r.
Had her astounding history been known,
Bar Harbor would scarcely have been large
enough to contain it's excited citizens, and
the reporters who would have rushed
thither from all parts of he country.
once made most solemn promise never
TO tell this tale 20 any mortal being.
But something has only lately happened
which is quite as extraordinary as any thing
related in these chapters-something, too,
which proves the truth of the old saying
that nothing is probable but the highly i'm
probable. And this event, think-so, too,
will you, you ever hear it - releases me
from my promise. And now feel ut liberty
to tell the public story whose incidents
actually occurred only q very short time
ago in this prosaic, matter-of- fact, nine
teenth century Of ours; and, yet, smack
moro OF romance and preSumptuous imprub-
ability than do most recorded adventures OF
the knight-errants in the middle ages.
Lot me begin:
A young man was walking along q uuiet.